Newspaper guild votes down contract offer
The union that represents many of the Times Union's employees reports that its members voted down the company's contract offer 125-35. In a release, guild president Tim O'Brien says the union is looking forward to continuing negotiations with the company. Update: Hearst Corp. says its "best and final" offer is already on the table.
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Comments
It's nice to see AllOverAlbany covering this. The Gazette also led with this story, but the area's supposed media source? The Times Union hasn't reported a peep on it. So much for being your source.
... said Hornetman on Jun 15, 2009 at 6:15 PM | link
Maybe it hasn't been reported because it's meaningless? I mean, haven't they been working without a contract since last year? So they are still working without a contract. What does it mean other than the union still isn't happy and the management doesn't much care? will anything change for these workers? will they go on strike?
... said rebekkah on Jun 16, 2009 at 12:03 PM | link
The T.U. reported it on the front page of the business section this morning.
Depending on the contract, some benefits "sunset" at the end of a contract. I don't know about this instance. Workers are in limbo about their future when they are working without a contract.
This is hardly "meaningless" news.
... said chrisck on Jun 16, 2009 at 12:41 PM | link
Yes, they've been without a contract for a year now, but since then the economy has collapsed, a sister newspaper (the Seattle Post-Intelligencer) turned into an online-only shell, and all sorts of news industry carnage.
Since contract negotiations began, the company has announced plans for immediate layoffs, which changes the stakes. And makes the "best and last offer" idea ominous to Guild members.
Full disclosure: I used to work for the TU.
... said LB on Jun 16, 2009 at 2:11 PM | link
If you follow AOA's links, rebekkah, you can learn more. Hearst just declared an impasse. The contract battle and vote weren't meaningless steps; they mean that some of us are a step closer to losing our jobs.
... said TU worker on Jun 16, 2009 at 9:44 PM | link
...revenues in the newspaper industry do suck...so does the economy....But, what Hearst falls to disclose is the fact that the TU has actually be turning a profit and even increased it's circulation by a small margin last year (and in year's past)! They are not bleeding at the seams....yet, he saves his worst offer for the people of his one profitable newspaper. It's just $$never enough! He has been working towards this for several months - implementation of a new newsroom program linking the TU with a Texas paper....changing health insurance coverage to a company that will ultimately require a $3000 deductible to be paid by employees...not to mention lack of a pay raise since 2006, loss of a bridge benefit that saved the company millions, and - like everywhere else - increased healthcare costs. Oh, and lets not forget he would also like to split weekends (meaning, an employee would no longer have two days in a row off - like Sat. and Sun.).
My spouse has given these people 15 years - worked every Christmas Day, New Years Eve...every Thanksgiving...every single holiday. Has held a position that required a college education and years of experience yet earns what NYS considers the "poverty line" for a family of four. We moved over a thousand miles for this - to one of the most expensive states in the country. THIS is the thanks these people get. I know jobs are scarce right now but, what are all these laid off newsie's going to do?!? It's not like there are many newspapers in the area.
Hearst is just another greedy bastard who doesn't care how many throats he cuts along the way - as long as his pockets are lined with gold. To hell with everyone else. This guy should burn in hell for what he's put these hard-working, good people through. They've been in limbo for months - and so have their families!
... said TU Spouse on Jun 17, 2009 at 12:56 AM | link
You misunderstand me. Turning down a new contract is (let me make that "seems") meaningless to management -- a futile gesture on the part of the employees. It won't change their minds. They are still planning on proceeding to do whatever they were originally going to do to the union people. People will still face the consequences originally threatened by their management. To an outsider it looked like another yawner as opposed to headline news.
... said rebekkah on Jun 17, 2009 at 9:05 AM | link
....yeah, such a shame how real life and real community issues have become such a yawner these days....probably the reason why newspapers across the country are in this predicament....maybe if TU employees documented their struggle in a reality TV format - you know, something like Survivor or The Real World TU - they'd get more recognition and support for their struggle...
This week it's my family, next week it could be yours....They are involved in a battle a lot of people are forced to fight these days. Would you let someone steamroll over your life quietly?! Maybe that's the crux of the problem right there - too many folks in this country are going down without a fight because they think it's useless to make noise.
I don't know, maybe you're right. I am yawning a lot lately...mostly from loosing sleep over how my family is going to make a mortgage payment...or how I'm going to explain all this to my child without my heart breaking into pieces. This guy (Hearst) knew what he was going to do all along...I completely agree with you there...but I don't think TU employees should just pipe down and make it easy for him to take away their livelihoods.
... said TU Spouse on Jun 18, 2009 at 9:27 PM | link
You still aren't getting it. I am 110% on your side. As I said, for the gazillionth time Times Union management has refused to budge. Not an inch. It is not the issue that "looked like another yawner" but the fact that management has changed nothing, and to the Times Union publisher, it's another instance of "you can't make me" after many such instances. To those who publish the paper-- no news flash. I can't believe anyone out there -- with the possible exception of Times Union management -- believes the employees will just roll over and play dead. Or pipe down. Or go down without a fight. Fight! You have the whole community on your side!
As for "This week it's my family, next week it could be yours" I already beat you on that one. And I'm still losing sleep.
Good luck to you all. Hang in there and make them do the right thing.
... said rebekkah on Jun 19, 2009 at 9:03 AM | link